NADPH oxidase proteins

1. A method of screening molecules of therapeutic interest, by using in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo a NADPH oxidase (Nox) protein having:

a domain comprising from 3 to 7 transmembrane helices, and having an amino acid sequence comprising:

at least 2 bis-histidyl motifs, each of the bis-histidyl motifs being constituted by having 2 histidine residues separated by 12, 13 or 14 amino acid residues, said 2 bis-histidyl motifs being located in the membrane part of the Nox protein which is arranged in the lipid bilayer of the cell when the Nox protein is expressed functionally, and separated by a transmembrane helix, and

at least one first motif comprising the sequence:

[G/S/A]-[Q/D]-F-[A/V/T/L/F]-[F/Y/W/L/R]-[L/V/I/F/W] (SEQ ID NO: 1), and

at least one second motif comprising the sequence:

[P/A/S/E/F]-H-[P/S/A]-F-[T/S]-[L/I/M/V] (SEQ ID NO: 2), and

at least one third motif comprising the sequence:

[K/R]-X-X-G-[D/Q-X-[T/S] (SEQ ID NO: 3), X representing any natural amino acid, and

at least one fourth motif comprising the sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 4)

G-[I/S/V/L]-G-[V/I/A/F]-[T/A/S]-[P/Y/T/A],

wherein said Nox protein is not used in vivo in humans,

said method comprising a step of bringing said Nox protein into contact with at least one molecule of therapeutic interest and a step of measuring the NADPH oxidase activity of said Nox protein in the presence or in the absence of said at least one molecule of therapeutic interest.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the NADPH oxidase activity of said Nox protein comprises measuring the production of oxygen reactive species by said Nox protein in the presence of an electron donor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein measuring the production of oxygen reactive species by said Nox protein is carried out by colorimetry assay or by fluorescence or chemiluminescence.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in said Nox protein:

said first motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 8, SEQ ID NO: 9 and SEQ ID NO: 10, and/or

said second motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 13 and SEQ ID NO: 14, and/or

said third motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 15, SEQ ID NO: 16, SEQ ID NO: 17, SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, and/or

said fourth motif is selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 21, SEQ ID NO: 22 and SEQ ID NO: 23.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity with one of the sequences selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 25, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 27, SEQ ID NO: 28 and SEQ ID NO: 29.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein consists of a sequence having at least 90% identity with one of the sequences selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 25, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 27, SEQ ID NO: 28 and SEQ ID NO: 29.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 24 to 351.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 25, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 27, SEQ ID NO: 28 and SEQ ID NO: 29.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 24 to 351.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the amino acid sequence of said Nox protein consists of a sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences: SEQ ID NO: 24, SEQ ID NO: 25, SEQ ID NO: 26, SEQ ID NO: 27, SEQ ID NO: 28 and SEQ ID NO: 29.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said Nox protein is a prokaryotic protein.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the molecules of therapeutic interest are molecules that modulate the NADPH oxidase activity of said Nox protein or of another Nox protein.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said Nox protein is a prokaryotic protein and the molecules of therapeutic interest are those that modulate the NADPH oxidase activity of an eukaryotic Nox protein.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the molecules of therapeutic interest are molecules that stimulate the production of reactive oxygen species by said Nox protein or by another Nox protein, and the step of measuring the NADPH oxidase activity of said Nox protein in the presence or in the absence of said at least one molecule of therapeutic interest is carried out by a step of measuring the production of reactive oxygen species by said Nox protein in the presence or in the absence of said at least one molecule of therapeutic interest.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein measuring the production of reactive oxygen species is carried out by colorimetry assay or by fluorescence or chemiluminescence.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , for screening molecules having antibiotic properties.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said Nox protein is adsorbed on a support.